Table cover



Oct. 4, 1,960 H. J. s'roTTER 2,954,635

` TABLE COVER Filed Aug. 28. 1959 FIG. 2 FIG. 3

INVENTOR HERBERT J. STOTTER BY QI ATTORNEYS 2,954,635 TABLE COVERHerbert J. Stotter, New York, N.Y., assignor to H. J. Stotter, Inc., NewYork, N.Y., a corporation of New York p Filed Aug. 28, 1959, Ser. No.836,778

3 Claims. (Cl. 45-68.3)

This invention relates to articles made of a lamination of a decoratedvinyl surfacing and a soft and resilient foam backing with a fabricreinforcing web on the vinyl side of the foam. The vinyl surfacing maybe decorated by printing, embossing, or other decorating steps, or acombination of them.

The invention relates in particular to table covers and is illustratedin an application suitable as a card table cover, but it will be readilyapparent that, in its broader aspects, the invention may apply to coversfor other tables and table-like structures. These products may compriseadditional features. For example, the foam may be provided with anadhesive to adapt it to be permanently or temporarily attached to thetop and sides of a table or like structure, although in the most likelymarket presently contemplated for the invention such adhesive is notemployed.

It is desirable to provide covers of the above general type whichpresent cushioned panels at the top and all sides of the object beingcovered but which also conform smartly and snugly to the shape of thecovered object and which are strong and dimensionally stable and whichmeet all lthe other quality requirements important to commercialsuccess.

'Ihe present invention involves the concept of employing a fabric-backedfoam matting and combining it on the fabric side with a vinyl iilm toprovide a dimensionally stable and strong structure and also, however,removing the foam matting from selected zones which are set-scored fromthe fabric side and toward the vinyl side to dene and provide hingelines between a top panel of the cover and drop panels of the cover. Adesirable dead-hang characteristic of the drop panels is therebyachieved while maintaining overall strength and dimensional stability.Thus, the cover may conform smartly to the shape of the table or othercovered object and at the same time present cushioned panels at the topand all sides of the object being covered.

By set-scoring of the vinyl film, I mean scoring which involves a newset of the vinyl iilm following the scoring operation as opposed toscoring which results in a line of partial severance of the film. Inother words, the lm is deformed by plastic flow rather than by partialsevering. Such plastic ow may be achieved by softening the ilm by heator with a solvent during die forming of the score. The former is knownas heat-scoring. When working with heat-softening iilms such as vinyl,heatscoring presently appears to be under most conditions the mostpreferable type of set-scoring operation.

These and other objects of the invention will become more fully apparentfrom the following description of examples of the invention togetherwith the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a partially broken away view of a card table cover embodyingthe invention, the cover being viewed from the bottom thereof.

Figure 2 is an enlarged, somewhat diagrammatic, fragmentary, sectionalView taken on line 2--2 of Figure l.

2,954,635 Patented Oct. 4, 1960 ICC Figure 3 is a view similar to theupper right hand corner of Figure 1 illustrating another card tablecover structure.

According to the invention, a fabric-backed foam matting, such as thefoam matting 10 which is associated in combined relationship with thefabric 11, is combined on the fabric side with a vinyl iilm l12 and isdie-cut or otherwise formed into the outline shape, such as that shownin Figure l. The foam matting 10 covers or extends under each of anumber of panels including a top panel 14 and drop panels 15-18.

Hinge lines generally indicated by the reference numeral 20 are providedwhich are adapted to be placed in congruency with the edges of the cardtable top. The hinge lines 20 form a polygon (which in the case of thecard table cover is, of course, a square) and divide the overall webstructure into the above-mentioned panels, the top panel 14 being withinthe square and the drop panels 15-18 being outside the square formed bythe hinge lines.

The hinge lines 20 are formed in the combined structure by set-scoringthe fabric 11 and vinyl fllm 12 outwardly from the fabric side andtoward the vinyl side along the extent of the hinge lines 20. Thisscoring results in scores or ridges 21 which are coextensive with thehinge `lines and which extend slightly upwardly as indicated in Figure 2when the assembly is in at condition. When the cover is in place on acard table, the scores 21 define smartly squared top edges substantiallycoextensive with the outside edges of the table.

The foam matting 10 covers the underside of each of the panels 14-18,but it does notY cover the hinge lines 20. Small zones or gaps 24 areformed in the foam matting 10. These zones 24 include the hinge lines 21or at least are such as to prevent the foam matting 10 from extendingover the hinge lines 21 and also may provide suflicient space so thatthe edge portions of the foam matting 10, which are on opposite sides ofeach zone 24, do not interfere with each other when the cover is drapedover the edge of a table or the like.

In Figure 3, the structure is generally identical to that shown inFigure 1 and like reference numerals, with the addition of the letter a,are used to indicate like elements. Figure 3 differs from Figure 1 inthat the cover is formed with corner tabs, such as the corner tabs 30.Snap fasteners are provided to hold the corner tabs in position when thecover is placed on a table. Normally it will be preferable for thecorner tab 30 to underlie the adjacent drop panel, such as the droppanel 15a. It will be clearly understood from Figure 3 that the cornerpanel 30 is hinged to the drop panel 18a along an extension of the hingeline 20a and that it is separated from the drop panel 15a as by a slot3.1. Suitable cooperating snap fastener elements are indicated by thereference numerals 32 and 33.

The invention is not restricted to the slavish imitation of each andevery one of the details described above which have been set forthmerely by way of example with the intent of most clearly setting forththe teaching of the invention. Obviously articles may be manufacturedwhich change, eliminate or add certain specific structural detailswithout departing from the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A cover for tables and the like comprising a unitary web of fabriccombined with a vinyl iilm, hinge lines in said web forming a polygonand dividing said web into a top panel defined Within said polygon and aplurality of drop panels outside said polygon, said web of fabric andvinyl iilm being set-scored from the fabric side and toward the vinylside along the extent of said hinge4 lines, foam matting portionsextending -under each of said panels in combined relationship with saidfabric and in oppositely facing relationship with respect to said vinyllm, the one of said foam matting portions Which extends under said toppanel being entirely bounded by said hinge lines and the remainderofsaid foam matting portions being bounded on at Aleast one side by ahinge line.

2. A table cover comprising a unitary web of fabric combined with avinyl film, hinge lines in said web forming a square and dividing saidWeb :into atop panel de-V fined within said square and four drop panelsoutside said square, said web of fabric and vinyl lm being set-scoredfrom the fabric side and toward the vinyl side along the extent of saidhinge lines, foam matting portions extending under each `of said panelsin combined relationship with said fabric and in oppositely facingrelationship with respect to said vinyl lm, the one of said foam mattingportions which extends under said top panel being entirely bounded bysaid hinge lines and the remainder of said foamrmatting portions beingbounded on at least one side by a hinge line.

the fabric side and toward the vinyl side along the extent of said hingelines, said foam matting covering each of said panels but not said hingelines whereby said table cover conforms smartly to the shape of thetable but presents cushioned panels at the top and all side faces j ofthe table.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,485,648 Norquist Oct. 25, 1949 2,627,629 Triolo Feb. 10, 19532,772,886 Parmele Dec. 4,71956

